Thoughts on Comey testimony:

[UKHistory]

No book publisher is going to pay Comey for information already in the public domain.

Now a book deal could come but its content would be cleared by DOJ. Such a book deal would not have classified info released.

I am very low level and I am going to receive guidance on what I would need to do to write a book.

i don't see a financial gain-at least immediate financial gain by releasing this information.

[CitizenBBN]

It is a mess alright. Again the fact that these notes are his recollections and not part of of a file and the notes were made for personal use and not personal financial gain is important. I just hope or wish those adjudicating this thing were more about patriotism than partisanship.

I see this presidency as a national threat. Foreign influence over our government is a danger to our continued existence. It is that simple to me. That is why I am talking Politics here more than ever.

Some see this as just another round of squabbles for political gain and will use and distort everything. I want truth. And I want the nation protected against enemies both foreign and domestic.

Let's all take at face value Hillary is bad. Putin played both Bush and Obama. There are no perfect people. As bad a decisions any of them made it doesn't appear they have been influenced or compromised by the Russians.

At best we have a severely understaffed executive branch with many key players inexperienced.

We also have possible russian influence on the President's inner circle. The attorney general has recused himself allegedly from the Russian. Investigation. I am not sure there is a cHain of command to share this information properly.

It is extraordinary bad situation to be in a position to think that the president has been manipulated into embracing foreign policies supportive of Russia.

I get the concern, but I honestly don't get why you see Trump as being at such a high risk of being compromised when we have more documentation of collusion in other administrations than anything produced regarding this one, despite months of investigations.

Hillary signed off on a deal that let the Russians buy 20% of the US uranium reserve, which as we speak is being mined and shipped out of the US to Russia via Canadian export licenses. When she signed off her husband got $1 million in direct payments for speeches in Moscow, not to mention millions more donated to the FOundation by associated parties including the Canadian front man and Russian companies.

Did you see the Obama administration with Hillary as Sec of State as being as much or more a threat than Trump? IMO you should have, b/c that's actual evidence, with actual results to this nation's national security.

So far all we have on Trump is nothing. Sessions recused himself b/c he met with the Russian Ambassador a couple of times while he was Senator. Well, he met with dozens of ambassadors in that role, and likewise the Russian Ambassador has met with dozens of members of Congress. There's nothing unusual there at all, and had this been an Obama appointee no one would give it a second thought. The only reason Sessions recused himself is that he was involved in the Trump campaign, and those were the ties the ethics people were concerned about.

IMO this is all just optics and perception thus far. There is far more evidence of the Clintons being compromised than Trump, yet all the investigations are with TRump. Hillary was Sec of State when this went on, and nothing was done or said.

And no I'm not changing the subject, I'm just offering perspective. How can we say Trump is the greatest threat in American history when there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever, after months of looking, that he even went as far as past occupants of the office?

I just dont' see it. I don't like Trump as a person, I'd despise working for him I'm sure, but this Russian collusion thing is just political nonsense IMO. They've taken perfectly normal interactions, that have been proven normal in comparison to the actions and associations of past Administrations, and made it sound like some grand conspiracy.

Honestly based on the evidence so far this thing is as iffy as the conspiracies out there that Bush started the Iraq war b/c of Halliburton or the Obama birther stuff. It's all innuendo and "unnamed sources" and even what they cite is nothing more than the normal communications you'd expect for people in that role.

For example you cite having the Russian ambassador in the White House with Russian press. OK, how is that unusual? The Russian Ambassador was at the White House under Obama on dozens of occasions, and I'm sure some where photo-ops and some weren't. What's so nefarious about that?

Then you mention him ripping Comey to them. How about Obama leaning over to the Russian Foreign Minister and promising he could give more on missile talks after his next election? How was that not ballyhooed the same as Trump's actions?

Obama set up back channels with Russia to deal with Syria, and they're still in place. Was that a threat to the nation?

There's just no "there" there in this so far. It's nothing but a contrived bunch of accusations so far with absolutely no substance beyond what would be considered perfectly normal if this President had a (D) in front of his name instead of an (R).

[UKHistory]

What some call deep state, I see patriots distrustful of a president and his administration that appears to be heavily influenced by the Russians.

But it does raise questions. Usually in fiction we see a peace loving leader being undermined by war monger generals. The general see the president as an idealistic fool to a path to peace with our enemy.

In this case we have an enemy state attempting to subvert our election. There are leads that people in this administration lied about ''ties to Russia. We have emissaries of the president attempting to create back channels before even official channels are established.

This puts patriots in tough spot. What if the president is being influenced by the russians. The loyalty oath is to the constitution and not a person. What does a person who loves his or her country do when you legitimately and sincerely believe the president compromised.

Think Star Wars when the jedi learn palpatine is the sith lord.

[UKHistory]

Only Russian photographers No American press in the oval and that is unusual.

The men were below the stature of the presidency and president requests them, the Russians should have met with lower staff.

Had Hillary been elected we would be in agreement.

And best thing I can say about the uranium deal, I am late to the party.

Questioning American exceptionalism, equAting the US and Russian foreign policy as equal in moral terms, embracing dictators and not being supportive of western allies is a danger to me.

Not trying to cop out, I need to switch to a key board from iPad.

So hard to type on these things thoughtfully.

[Catonahottinroof]

Obama was less than supportive of Israel. Are they not an ally?

[CitizenBBN]

What some call deep state, I see patriots distrustful of a president and his administration that appears to be heavily influenced by the Russians.

.

So how does that explain him not going to the lawful congressional oversight committee?

Moreover how does that explain the last ag being held in contempt for not turning over documents on fast and furious? The irs emails? The unmasking by political appointees?

You see Trump as a Russian agent so these actions are partiotic. When the last administration withheld information what was that? When these patriots leak top secret documents and don't even turn the over to Congress, even the opposition party, what is that?

This isn't new, it's just being done against a guy you are convinced is an enemy of America this time, but I'm talking about decades of deceit and actively avoiding the law by those in Washington. This is just the most outlandish we've seen some of it, but in the end it's not about Trump.

[CitizenBBN]

Questioning American exceptionalism, equAting the US and Russian foreign policy as equal in moral terms, embracing dictators and not being supportive of western allies is a danger to me.

Not trying to be smart, but honestly if that's your view you should be much more upset with Obama than Trump.

First, Trump is the current embodiment of American exceptionalism. It was Obama on the apology tour and blaming America for the world's troubles. Trump is absolutely the biggest purveyor of American exceptionalism going.

As for equating foreign policy in moral terms, Obama did a LOT of that as President with nations that have serious moral issues. Embracing Dictators? HOw about the Iran deal? All US Presidents have embraced dictators at one time or another.

Supportive of allies? Did you see the King's welcome the Saudis gave Trump? that was done b/c Obama betrayed them with the Iran deal. He undermined our allies in that region from Israel to Egypt to the Saudis.

Every President will choose his own foreign policy path. The idea that Trump thinks better ties with Russia could be good for fighting terrorism isn't even original (Obama and Hillary first did the "Reset"), and certainly isn't proof of some kind of conspiracy.

The fringe on the right accused Obama of being a closet Muslim secretly suporting Islamist radicalism and their proof was the Iran deal and support of the Muslim Brotherhood, etc. Honestly their arguments were just about the same as the argument that Trump favors stronger ties with Russia and therefore he's in league with them.

Again I'm not being smart, but foreign policy wise Obama did everything you talk about in spades, yet it's Trump you see as the threat. I'm not just getting how Obama gets a pass but these things are somehow evidence of Trump's lack of fitness for office.

[Catonahottinroof]

I'm like the guy from Missouri....show me.
The hearing, investigations, grandstanding have proven absolutely bumpkis.
If Trump has any compromise to Russian anything, it's financial. You don't see investigations going that way though. It's all about politics....and nothing more.

[Doc]

From the get go, Comey has clearly been playing both sides against each other. Its hardley being non political as some have some have suggested but instead being the opposite in ultra political. He has played both sides against each other and done so brillantly. He appeased the left by getting Hillary to skate then appeased the right by setting her up to lose the election. Both moves were absolutely politically motived, as was his leak. There is no doubt he knew it was at the least inappropriate due to the fact he leaked it rather then openly releasing it, otherwise why leak it? He has repeatedly overstepped his role as head of the FBI and to be honest should have been terminated on Jan 20th. Trump was a fool to trust this guy. As stated above, any notes are simply that, notes. They are nothing more than a creation of his and have no actually bearing on what actually did or did not occur. The left and those who dislike Trump will take his notes as the God's honest truth and 100% accurate. Nothing will convince them otherwise. Likewise Trump supporters will brush them off. My opinion is Comey was no friend of Trumps. Never was and never would have been. Again, Trump was a fool for keeping him on for 4 months. Maybe it was a case of keeping your enemies close, or more likely to avoid the appearance of being vengeful even though it was well within his right and actually his duty as president to have put in any director that he saw fit. The problem is that the FBI and so many gov't department are full of liberals who are willing to leak information or go to ANY MEANS POSSIBLE to harm the current administration that it is literally impossible to replace the entire infrastrutucre of the government to stop it. No doubt Trump wants to stop the leaks etc but its not feasibly possible. Likewise I have no doubt that the creation of notes is just as likely to occur. And when sure things happen, the media will present it as FACTUAL, and much of the public will accept it as factual even though it is not. How is Trumps suggesting that the case on Flynn be ramped down any different then what Obama suggested with Hillary and the e-mails? It isn't. How is the former Presidents bait and switching of Bengazi not "obstruction" while what Trump's actions are? In actuallity none of them are. It's all how its presented to the public and what ones agenda is. When the GOP did it, it was just another in a long line of petty little racist beefs they had against an African American President. Thats why I was so discouraged about all the stupid little objections the right kept making to DUMB things. It took away from real issues. However now the left is doing it but is doing it effectively because they have the media behind them. Of course Trumps constant childish baiting of the media hasn't helped.

[Doc]

Obama was less than supportive of Israel. Are they not an ally?

What is F.....ing hilarious and hypocritical is that all this hubub about Russia interfereing in our election is that Obama did EXACTLY that in Isreal and that wasn't a big deal. So its fine for the US to butt into an allies election but for Russia to do it to us is somehow a huge issue

LINK

[Catonahottinroof]

And my point was simple...it's easy to refute faulty logic when some facts are sourced, then non flattering, contradictory facts are omitted.

[KeithKSR]

There hasn't been a single piece of evidence indicating collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians. Heck, even worse part of the bogus stuff against Sessions came about when the Obama administration organized a get together between Congressmen and foreign dignitaries.

[UKHistory]

What is F.....ing hilarious and hypocritical is that all this hubub about Russia interfereing in our election is that Obama did EXACTLY that in Isreal and that wasn't a big deal. So its fine for the US to butt into an allies election but for Russia to do it to us is somehow a huge issue

LINK

Basically yes. Well not really but we have bee butting into other people's elections and sovereignty fora long time.

We did it in Iran, Vietnam more than a couple of South American countries. I just don't want that done n our country. To us.

[Doc]

Basically yes. Well not really but we have bee butting into other people's elections and sovereignty fora long time.

We did it in Iran, Vietnam more than a couple of South American countries. I just don't want that done n our country. To us.

Nor do I but lets not pretend that its something to get all bent about. The left is basically calling the election invalid, or at least attempting to, as an excuse for their loss. Yet its commonplace, and something they (and the GOP) have done and do. So lets not get all upset about it.

[CitizenBBN]

Doc ha nailed it twice IMO.

First, let's not be naive. If the media were 90% conservative then Obama would have been the one getting roasted over Fast and Furious, the IRS scandal, the Iran deal when we had laws in place against working with them, etc., and Trump would be getting a pass. The truth is that Trump has done nothing that Obama didn't do, or Bush or Clinton, the only difference is the media is nothing more than a severely biased propaganda arm of the left. This only holding any water b/c the media is spewing about it.

Second, there have been scandals about foreign money and influence in US policy and elections since at least Bill Clinton, but no one in the media cared till it suited their agenda of attacking Trump. I don't think it's OK, but it's damned selective to think Trump is evil b/c of any ties at all to a foreign power when the ties to foreign powers are stacked as high as cord wood over in the Clinton camp and have been for years on both sides.

[Darryl]

Obama clearly was anti-Christian, anti-Police, anti-US Military, anti-US allies (mainly Israel), anti-White. I despised every cell in his body but I wanted him to succeed for our country's sake. The liberal Democrats and even moderates want Trump to fail at all costs; even to the detriment of our nation. My father was a Democrat all his life but would be astonished at the Democratic party of today.

If Russia did cost Hillary the election, good for them. That woman was the biggest danger EVER to this nation.

Darryl

[UKHistory]

Darryl,

Obama was also anti-UK. He actually mocked us during our White House visit and UofL's. Which is a reaon I don't like him.

But how could you want an anti-christain, anti-military, racist and in your words anti-semitic president to succeed? I'd work against him and pray the country I love is still standing is when he leaves office.

Seems like a president like that you would want to fail at every turn. I would.

[dan_bgblue]

Having a sitting president fail is not good for the country imo. I do not want the current president to fail unlike much of the media, hollywood loud mouths, and much of the Washington government machine. They have made it their mission to secure failure.

[KeithKSR]

Having a sitting president fail is not good for the country imo. I do not want the current president to fail unlike much of the media, hollywood loud mouths, and much of the Washington government machine. They have made it their mission to secure failure.

At any and all costs.

[Doc]

There were certain policies of Obama's that I did want to.fail because in my opinion they were not good for the nation. Increasing the numbers of folks dependant upon govt handouts is not something I believe in and something that clearly the previous administration pushed for. That was a policy I hoped failed. Likewise, wealth redistribution, social/racial unrest, distrust of law enforcement and increased tax and spend were all policies that I hoped failed however I did not hope his presidency failed. Currwntly the uber left want nothing more than total.failure even if that is to the detriment of this nation. It's more important that the liberal philosophy and hierarchy rule than the country succeed

[MickintheHam]

Obama clearly was anti-Christian, anti-Police, anti-US Military, anti-US allies (mainly Israel), anti-White. I despised every cell in his body but I wanted him to succeed for our country's sake. The liberal Democrats and even moderates want Trump to fail at all costs; even to the detriment of our nation. My father was a Democrat all his life but would be astonished at the Democratic party of today.

If Russia did cost Hillary the election, good for them. That woman was the biggest danger EVER to this nation.

Darryl

The Liberal Democrats (is that redundant?) as well as Washington bureaucrats and lobbyists want Trump to fail because of his efforts to drain the swamp. Their power and their livlihoods are at stake. Most in Washington do not have the intellectual capacity to understand how much they are despised and even hated by much of the country.

[Doc]

The Liberal Democrats (is that redundant?) as well as Washington bureaucrats and lobbyists want Trump to fail because of his efforts to drain the swamp. Their power and their livlihoods are at stake. Most in Washington do not have the intellectual capacity to understand how much they are despised and even hated by much of the country.

Not only that but most believe they are loved by the country because they keep telling themselves they are loved, the media keeps telling them they are loved and they keep getting re-elected

[Darrell KSR]

Having a sitting president fail is not good for the country imo. I do not want the current president to fail unlike much of the media, hollywood loud mouths, and much of the Washington government machine. They have made it their mission to secure failure.

I don't want him to fail. I think he is far less capable than probably almost anyone on this board of succeeding, but WE need him to succeed. His personality doesn't bother me; his abilities do. I trust Forrest Gump more.

But if he fails, it's not his fault. It's ours for putting ourselves in position that he was the best we had. That's gut-wrenching.

[GhettoBird]

Obama clearly was anti-Christian, anti-Police, anti-US Military, anti-US allies (mainly Israel), anti-White. I despised every cell in his body but I wanted him to succeed for our country's sake. The liberal Democrats and even moderates want Trump to fail at all costs; even to the detriment of our nation. My father was a Democrat all his life but would be astonished at the Democratic party of today.

If Russia did cost Hillary the election, good for them. That woman was the biggest danger EVER to this nation.

Darryl

This sums up how I felt. In my eyes Obama was a complete joke and cared very little about america, and at times when the country needed him to be a real leader all his actions did was further divide the nation. His rhetoric against law enforcement was a complete disgrace.

I think/hope Trump can do great things for this country.

Great discussions here guys.